Featuring postgame quotes from the following:

Head Coach Kevin O'Connell

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KEVIN O'CONNELL: You know, it doesn't get much more greater than that, playing in one of the hardest places to come play, dealing with some elements and just finding a way to win a game. That's what this team has really been able to do all season long, some real performances to point out with Jets (Justin Jefferson) and Sam (Darnold) offensively and then Van (Andrew Van Ginkel) with the two sacks, I thought Dallas Turner with the interception and Theo (Jackson) to close it, and being such two good teams to win that game, field position was going to play a critical role and that's part of what we thought that's what it would take to win the game, and our punt unit was fantastic and Will (Reichard) to be 3-3 in that kind of day, just critical. Really good execution. Far from perfect but this time of year, you've got to find a way to win these games and you learn a lot about your team. As I told them, it's a hell of an accomplishment to win 13 in this league and just proud of our guys, and the same type of feeling just keeps coming up. Very fortunate in this group, in this locker room, coaching staff, and now we've got to move on to the next.

What was that moment like when Sam throws the touchdown to Justin and you see the offensive lineman just enveloping him on the field?

KEVIN O'CONNELL: Sam has had some huge plays this year, considering the circumstances, and kind of how that play came to life, for him to move up and throw the ball, really on the move there with that kind of accuracy and to know where Justin was going to be in the moment, was a remarkable play. It doesn't get better than that. And I thought, as I told the team, his 12th time being over a 100.0 rating, which is a very, very significant number in our offense in this system, what has become Sam's offense, making some of the plays and throws he did, like you said it was far from perfect. There's a lot of things that we all can do better. But you know, this is what it's going to take every 60-minute opportunity we have the rest of the way to find a way to win football games. Big plays in big moments, doing the little things, winning the turnover battle, winning the penalty ballot, field position bat the. Wasn't a great day running the football but a lot of really positive things that maybe might not jump out to a lot of football coaches but things we pour into to try to win football games every week.

Is Justin Jefferson adjusting on that?

KEVIN O'CONNELL: Yeah, it was a route adjustment there that those guys were on the same page.

Looked like parts of the drive Sam was having a hard time hearing?

KEVIN O'CONNELL: Yeah, my headset went out. We had a great MVP performance from our sideline to get that. I got a new battery pack but yeah my headset went out completely which I thought was curious in that moment but Sam scrambled on the play before. So I was able to talk to him coming off the sideline, get that play called, and by the time the next snap was up, I had a new pack on. So dealing with adversity.

Did he have a call there, where he was running?

KEVIN O'CONNELL: I was trying to get him a call and my headset, the last thing he heard was the formation. So his ability to get a played called, and I've got to be honest with you, I don't know what he particularly called. I just know that when I saw him have space and go run like he did, I was relieved. I know what that play call is, QB run left. What it seemed like.

(On coming off the field trailing and have that happen)

KEVIN O'CONNELL: He's had some moments like that this year where he just seems to be at his best in those moments. Like I said, there was a lot of things offensively I thought we could have done better, and that's all of us. But there wasn't really one guy. I know I'm not speaking for myself, I thought we were going to go down and get a touchdown. The level of confidence that group has in their quarterback and the confidence in the 10 guys in the huddle is significant and that's how you're able to go do that on the road in this place. You can't hear yourself think. One of the critical things, I thought, was to try to win the penalty battle on the road in this environment, possibly some weather that our guys worked through in the first half it. Cleared up a little bit. Came back a little late but it was a pretty fantastic performance in that moment by not just our quarterback but all 11 of those guys out there.

How do you think defensively you adjusted (with injuries)?

KEVIN O'CONNELL: Very mortgage term, it was truly a game-day decision with him and Harrison (Smith) is a guy that sometimes you've got to make the decision to sit him down. Otherwise, he's going to go. And we knew he was dealing with some significant soreness that just kind of never kind of turned over but we're expecting him to be fine and be ready to roll this week.

When Sam throws that touchdown in the moment, do you remember your reaction?

KEVIN O'CONNELL: I do. I do. Because it was kind of an adjustment on the route based upon how Justin reacted in the moment. We had talked a little bit about that sequence. He would be on the back side and if they wanted to shove coverage over to him, we thought JA (Jordan Addison) or T.J. (Hockenson) on the front side. But how it played out is he got such a clean, good release on the inside release he felt the vertical grass and took it, and in honor of Randy Moss, threw the mailbox sign up and Sam saw him as he climbed up in the pocket. I want those guys to have some freedom in those moments, especially we do a lot of things with Justin and Sam, seeing the coverage, and then with some route opportunities to get to at the line of scrimmage, and I think those guys have just gotten so comfortable with that stuff that they are able to execute it like they did which was maybe the play, absolutely the play of the game, maybe even considering just a moment and the circumstances of the season as well.

You've got 13 wins, first coach to do that in consecutive seasons in the team but to do it with different quarterbacks, how challenging has it been to reach those milestones?

KEVIN O'CONNELL: Yeah, I mean, I've talked to this team a lot. I told them last night that it can be a very tired cliché to talk about going 1-0 until you've systematically built your entire operation daily of just trying to do that every single day. These guys, it's not a cliché at that point. It becomes part of your football foundation, and the makeup of your locker room, of your leadership, your coaching staff. Really, everybody that comes on these trips that that role in winning football games. That's what I wanted when I came here. I wanted an organization where it felt like these kind of moments, whether big picture moments going into a season where football coaches don't necessarily have a lot of outward confidence of what this group is going to be able to accomplish, we just go to work and we try to improve, we have tremendous belief, sense of belonging and we start to really care deeply about what we do here, and in the process do all the little things that you do when you have the discipline to care about something like these players do.

Talk about the depth of the defense.

KEVIN O'CONNELL: Flo (Brian Flores) and his guys have done a phenomenal job all year of preaching the next-man-up mentality when we need it. Hoping to have IP back in the coming days. But we have had guy after guy, whether for a game here or there or short-term stints getting healthy, we have had guys step up. Bobby (McCain) really took a lot of the week on the defensive scout team because everybody just kind of assumed we would have 22 out there and Theo took a lot of reps, but to get that safety group ready and to communicate the way they did, that's why these guys are here. We preach to our guys a lot about no matter who it is, we are going to step in there and make the play. We have seen that happen a few times on offense this year. Speedy comes to mind. Josh comes to mind early on in the year, and it's just part of -- our left tackle right now is a perfect approximately of it. You might not be here for months or years but when we call on you, you're going to play and you're going to play well.

Is that something they could have accomplished in September, October?

KEVIN O'CONNELL: I'm glad we didn't have to find out. That was kind of a first on a pretty standard concept with a little window dressing or sauce on it, to make things look the same, the likeness and through that process, Justin has an innate feel for open grass and to go find it and to be so decisive with it that the quarterback feels it as he climbs the pocket, and you need a guy that can make that throw on the move in the pocket. To place it where he did, what a moment.

Do you allow yourself to think about if you go 2-0 (to finish)?

KEVIN O'CONNELL: We can't go 2-0 without going 1-0.

What about 1-0, 1-0?

KEVIN O'CONNELL: We'll talk next week. We've got a heck of two challenges for sure and we have to have hundred percent focus on another playoff caliber team, playing back at U.S. Bank, which will be huge, playing in front of our fans and we'll worry about what's from us then. I know it's fun to laugh about but it is very critical and I think this team understands how we got to this point. It's a mature team that can be dangerous, I do believe, if we continue to just understand what got us to this moment from the first day we got to training camp through each and every one of our 15 opportunities so far, that's just what we are going to do.

Do you remember what you said to Sam after that play in the locker room?

KEVIN O'CONNELL: I do. I do.

Did you share?

KEVIN O'CONNELL: I cannot. I cannot.

Language or because it's personal?

KEVIN O'CONNELL: More the personal subject matter. Those are such emotional moments. It's hard to replicate. I know some of our players have talked about the feeling of certain things this year when really good things happen but it's hard to replicate that because I want this so bad for these guys, and it's been awesome being a part of this journey with Sam, from many, many days and months ago in my office projecting nothing but confidence and belief in him, and he's not only earned much more than that. He continues to go out and do it in some really tough circumstances. Sam Darnold deserves so much of the credit, really all of the credit, I would say of what he's become, wearing number 14 in purple this year.

(On Justin Jefferson's taunting penalty)

KEVIN O'CONNELL: That's an interesting one. I'll defer to they say what they saw. We have got to be smart about the direction at which we gritty, I guess. But no, I understand they are trying to get the taunting penalty out of the game, which you know, I'm all for, and when there's some other aspects of the game where people are pointing and directly pointing at some football coaches and sometimes those things don't ends up being seen, and that's the thing is these officials have to see in real time those things. They have got a really hard job. I was very, very happy we got the face mask call. That gave us a chance to have an earned first down there on that last drive, and you know, credit to those officials for making that call and kind of continuing to let Sam play and keep us on track with a valid penalty.

You've been here before with other teams but the difficulty of winning in this building what does it say about the team's resourcefulness to handle the noise and rain and a team that's fighting for their fans?

KEVIN O'CONNELL: Yeah, we had a lot of fans, I was pretty fired up to see the purple out there as well. Our fans always travel great. This building, the environment, it's built to be laud. The fans know that and they are. Momentum swings in the game, you can feel it in this building. But you're right, we have not had a lot of games, really just the game in London before it spit rain for most of the night. As a coach you're trying to prepare your team with things throughout the week, wet ball drill. We had six inches of snow on the ground and we are trying to simulate what this would be like in our indoor. The guys were ready to play. The energy in this building, I could feel it in our team in warmups and our guys were ready to go. I liked getting off to a fast start with that opening drive that. Can always help but you know that means absolutely nothing on the road. It's going to be a 60-minute slugfest for sure.

QB Sam Darnold

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SAM DARNOLD: Obviously a really good win. I feel like that second half it was kind of up and down the way that we were kind of stalled on a couple drives, a couple three and outs I think but our defense, man, I feel like our defense played really well today per usual. Our special teams, (Will) Reichard was able to do his thing today and drill some big field goals for us, Ryan Wright doing his thing punting the ball. A total team effort today and a ton of credit to those guys on the other side of the ball. I feel like defensively they have some really good scheme and paired with obviously really good players. So just very proud of the guys in the locker room for the way that they handled everything throughout the game, the ups and the downs and just another resilient win for us.

Your last four starts, you've had three go-ahead touchdowns in the fourth quarter. How have you been able to do that?

SAM DARNOLD: I think first off, it's a total group effort. I think just the way that we've been able to keep our heads down throughout the game and just do our job every single play. That's really been the key for us, and we are just going to continue to do that.

Can you take us through the last touchdown pass and your teammates reaction to it?

SAM DARNOLD: I think first and foremost, Jeff (Justin Jefferson) is doing a great job of feeling that zone, and feeling the crowd, to get a little bit of width to get away from the safety and I felt like I needed to give him a shot, put it on his back hip and let him do the rest. My teammates being pumped up, wouldn't expect anything less. I was just telling them, we have to get a stop here, it's not over and sure enough we did that. Super proud of (Theo) Jackson, the way that he was able to play today and step in when we needed him the most.

What happened with the headsets?

SAM DARNOLD: Just didn't get the call for whatever reason. Just called a play and did my best to make it work.

What's the process like of getting a call to everybody with 12, 13 seconds?

SAM DARNOLD: Yeah, obviously timeouts are crucial. Wasn't going to burn a timeout there. Was able to just get a call in to the guys, something we are familiar with and was able to play the play and felt a little bit of room on the left side and was able to scramble out for a solid game.

You guys are potentially the No. 1 seed in the next two games. What does that mean to this group to be in a position to do that?

SAM DARNOLD: Nothing's changed for us. It's just that 1-0 mentality that we always talk about. We have to grow a little bit from some of the things in the second half, like I said, kind of stalled a little bit and be able to figure out what happened there and for me I feel like I can be better with better ball placement on some of the throws, not only in the second half but first half as well. We have to continue to grow, get better and have good weeks of practice and continue to do our thing and if we do that, put our heads down, go to work, we'll be good.

What is this team capable of?

SAM DARNOLD: We know exactly the kind of team we have and exactly the kind of guys we have in that locker room. It's just for us to be able to continue to go 1-0.

You were reminding teammates that it wasn't over, did you celebrate? Did you have time?

SAM DARNOLD: I think in between catching my breath and trying to get my feet back under me, I was more worried about that and just truly getting ready to maybe go back out there if they were going to kick a field goal, you've always got to keep your mind ready. We had a minute left. If they drove it 40, 45 yards or whatever and kicked a field goal, we were going to have to go out there potentially go to overtime. It's never over in this league and that's the mindset.

The first touchdown pass to Justin Jefferson, did you think it was open?

SAM DARNOLD: I say it all the time. I feel like any time he scores a touchdown against man coverage, I come in here and I say any time he's one-on-one I'm going to try to give him a shot and that's what I did and that's pretty much it.

Looked like a difficult throw.

SAM DARNOLD: Yeah, it's something we practice all the time. Obviously it's a difficult throw to the field, all that stuff but something we practice a lot.

The poise you displayed in the final drive, where does that come from?

SAM DARNOLD: A lot of practice and getting a ton of reps against a defense that can get to a lot of their calls, a lot of pressures in two-minute situations and being able to find that poise in training camp and OTAs whenever we get that two-minute drill going, it starts there and just being really good with my feet and eyes and trusting my progressions and if I need to scramble, make a play, get up and out of the pocket, I'll be able to do that.

The Packers are coming to town, an interesting week with the holidays, how do you guys make sure that you're focused on them and how much does it help that you guys are familiar with them?

SAM DARNOLD: It's been awhile since we played them so we've got to continue to do our film study and do our due diligence that way. There's that communication major. But it's super important to be able to just put our heads down and keep working. I think that's the biggest thing, and yeah, obviously they are a really good team. Another division opponent. So we've got our hands full with them but I think these next couple days, getting the guys coming off a Monday night game and getting everyone healthy, feeling good and coming to work on Wednesday.

Was this a different kind of victory?

SAM DARNOLD: Coming into this hostile environment, it's always a good feeling to get a win here. But again, it's a tough opponent obviously in Seattle, so to be able to come in here and get a win was huge.

CB Stephon Gilmore

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(On the importance of the game) "It's funny, this is kind of like a playoff game. You knew it wasn't going to be easy coming out here and playing. We were able to make some plays down the stretch to win."

(On some of the calls from the referees on him today) "I'm pressing on him and I'm controlling the route and I'm always going to play like that. I just need to maybe play with my hands behind my back sometimes. But I like to press and I just need to learn from it and keep it going."

(On what this win says about the team going forward) "It's big. Like I said, it was a playoff game against a great team. We've got some great teams coming up. We've got to watch the tape and learn from this one. We're going home next week against a good team so we're looking forward to it."

(On if the defense has reached its potential yet) "Honestly every game, even when they score, we're up by 14 or we're up by 20. We can always get better so we've just got to learn from it. We had some new guys step up today. I came back from missing two games. That's what you've got to do. [On a] good team, people have to step up and make plays."

RB Aaron Jones Sr.

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(On the overall performance of the offense today) "I felt like we performed well. We had a couple drives where we stalled out. But when we needed to have it, we got it done. [There's] things that we can clean up, but overall we took care of the ball and we came out with a win. We put 27 [points] up. We know we can be better [on] third down and in the red zone. That's what we have next week for, continue to work on it and get better from there."

(On his performance today) "I felt like I performed well. Definitely could've been better. I had a drop or two. I felt like I could've done a little better in the run game. Had an opportunity to bounce one [and] kind of stayed inside. Overall, I think I performed well. Always can do better. It's never great, it's never perfect, but you can always strive for better."

(On the challenge of playing in Seattle) "It gets pretty loud here. And it's a pretty good defense that they have. Good front. Aggressive. And they play well together. That was a good defense over there and I think they'll be pretty good for years to come as well."

(On how he feels about getting another 1,000 yard season) "It makes me feel great. It's a blessing. That's what every back wants to get to is 1,000 yards. To be able to do it in less than 16 games is huge. I couldn't have done it without the blocking unit. C.J. [Ham] right here. They're laying their bodies on the line so I can go out there and just find the open lane to run through. It's huge for me, especially [because] everybody is saying I'm washed or I don't have any juice left or whatever they're saying. I think they're going to have to rethink those statements."

S Theo Jackson

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(On what was said at halftime about putting pressure on Geno Smith) "We just have to clean up the little things and do the things we know how. Be more physical, make the right calls and be together as one."

(On his interception at the end of the game) "Honestly, I was just as surprised as you all were. We were in two-high, I saw him throw it and I was kind of confused myself as to why he threw it. I'm going to catch the ones he throws to me so it was super exciting. I'm still coming down from the adrenaline right now."

(On what his mindset was on stepping up with Harrison Smith out) "We've got to pick him up, because we're always as one. We're always doing things together, so there's not really a drop off when somebody has to go out of the game. I think me and Bobby (McCain) came in and did what we had to do."

TE T.J. Hockenson

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(On how hard it is to win during this time in December) "Yeah, it's hard. December football, everybody is great, everybody is honed in on what they are as a team, and it's any given Sunday at that point. For this team to go into another stadium and to be able to come out with a win is huge. I'm just keeping it one game at a time. We were 1-0 today, we'll try to be the same next week."

(On how it feels winning the close game today) "There's no flinch. When we're down, or something is not going our way, nobody ever doubts what we are able to do when we get out on the field. We're able to move the ball, we have a special offense. They cover one guy, the other guy is open. It just is what it is at that point. We're able to exploit some defenses in certain different ways. When we are out on the field and we're expected to make a play, we are going to do it. That's the standard we hold ourselves to."

(On if he ever gets surprised by Justin Jefferson's game at this point) "I've seen him do some crazy stuff. He tries things in practice that a lot of people wouldn't believe. To see him come out on Sunday and do some things and get open, it makes sense to me. It makes sense to everybody in this locker room, we see it every day. He is an all-time great receiver and he's going to continue doing what he does."

T Brian O'Neill

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(On how he reacted to Theo Jackson's interception) "That's sick. Somebody had to step up. He's been making plays for us all year. With the amount of safeties we have, I don't think he typically gets the opportunity or credit he deserves because of how deep we are in that room. I was really happy for him. He's one of the best guys in the locker room."

(On Sam Darnold's play this season ) "There hasn't been, in any of the games, any of the situations, whether we're up 10, up 20; down 10, down 3, down 4, he's been the same guy every single day from the minute he got here to now. He's going to need to do that a couple more times, we've got some football to play. He gets his flowers today but that is the expectation now for him at this point; to go out and lead us in the biggest moments and make the plays when we need to make them. He was able to do that."

WR Justin Jefferson

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(On his game winning touchdown) "Yeah, we were just stacking on those plays and it was a great call. I'm not going to say too much about that play, but something went on where me and Sam (Darnold) were on the same page, and he found me and we went up. Not really a secret to it, or a formula. It's all about going out there making plays, and executing."

(On the success of the Vikings offense) "We're coming together. Every single game we're finding different ways to overcome adversity; overcome the different stuff defenses have thrown towards us. Sam (Darnold) has done a great job being a leader and leading our offense. The coaches calling the plays; us going and making something work. These close games are what make championship teams. Just staying in it. They are a great team on the other side of that ball. It was great to come here and get a win in this environment."

(On the possibility of securing the #1 seed in the NFC) "Not really much. At the end of the day we're still in the playoffs whether we're number 1 or in the last spot. It doesn't really matter, it's about going and winning those games. It doesn't matter if we're at home or we play away. We still got to win games to get to that championship. It would be cool to be number 1, but it's not really something we're really looking forward to."

OLB Andrew Van Ginkel

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(On his vantage point of the go-ahead touchdown) "Oh man, that was insane. When you have JJ (Justin Jefferson) on your team, anything can happen. It's just special. To watch him do that is crazy, and I'm glad I'm on his team."

(On his vantage point of the late interception) "I was pass rushing, and I saw Geno (Smith) throw it and I looked back and saw Theo (Jackson) breaking on the ball and he picks it off and I'm like 'perfect, game over.' It speaks to this defense."

(On closing the game out on defense) "I love it because ultimately it's on us and we pride ourselves on finishing the game strong. If the game is going to go one way we want to go down with our defense. We just have confidence and resilience. We just believe we're going to finish strong."

S Camryn Bynum

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(To BYNUM: On what occurred during the final defensive series . . .) "Yeah, shoutout Theo Jackson. Every time he's on the field he makes a play. His interception-to-snap ratio is probably the best in history. Just knowing that the game has to be in our hands, on the defense, that's what we take pride in. It's not our first time being in that situation, having to get the stop. The offense went down and did their job, scoring and put us up. So we had to get a stop. We gave up more than we wanted to today on defense, but that's a good team right there. They're battling for the playoff spot, so we knew they were going to come out and play hard, and they did, so they made it tough on us."

(To BYNUM: On if he heard Vikings fans on the final series . . .) "Yes. It was loud, and for an away game, yeah, it was loud. Just being out there, seeing all our fans out there, and the skol chant once we won, it's insane. Shoutout to our fans."

(To BYNUM: On what he saw from Sam Darnold late in the game. . . ) "Best in the league. Showing that every single week he can be consistent, leading us to victories every time, especially in those last fourth-quarter drives, he's going for touchdown after touchdown after touchdown, leading us to 13 wins."

(To: BYNUM: On if this game was needed with the playoffs coming soon . . . ) "For sure. Just the battle, and just knowing the desperation the playoff atmosphere brings, and especially to come here to Seattle. We know about the (12s), and we know this environment really prepares us for the playoffs. And to beat a good team right there that's battling in playoff contention

S Joshua Metellus

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(To: METELLUS: On if there was any doubt that the offense would score after Minnesota fell behind . . . ) "No. We thought we had to get a stop to win this game. We knew our offense was going to go down there and score. That's just the trust that we've got in our teammates and the work we put in each and every week. We just knew we had to make a play at the end." (interjection by BYNUM:) "And we've got the best in the world -- Justin Jefferson. (METELLUS:) "Best in the world. When you got him, hey, you never worry."